Chapter 2: “What do you mean we don’t know”

A few days had passed, and Henrich was excited; he was about to meet his mechsmith. He intended to make a good first impression, having a fine bottle of whiskey from the wine cellar and a rather-by Henrich's earthen memories-hearty meal. Honey-glazed leg of lamb with a dark beer sauce and potato pancakes. At this time, Anna entered the study from the central doorway and slightly bowed before shutting the door. 

" When will the mechsmiths be here?" Henrich asked, impatiently shifting in his fanciful chair. 

" They are landing now, so about ten minutes to get them through the formalities before meeting you here." 

" Okay, here is a question for you: what noble rank do I have to give them to make it appropriate for them to land and walk in simply? For now, it's fine, but…" 

" Probably some minor nobility title. They are simply commoners right now, though that would be a breach of etiquette." 

" Why would that be a breach of etiquette? They are skilled labor." The slight furrow of Henrich's brow revealed a frustration. 

" Allow me to speak plainly, Lord Sethe," Anna asked, purposefully bowing low, letting Henrich catch a glimpse. 

" If you had any more sarcasm, it would drip out your mouth and always assume you have permission to speak plainly with me." 

" To not piss off the corporations too much, the nobility has been on the back foot for the last two hundred years as it is in this Duchy. Nobles having their own production chain is a rare sight nowadays. Only Islander or Crownland nobles bother." 

" So how many people will I upset by trying to have my own production chains ?"

" Enough that I would suggest keeping that to yourself for a while. Besides, it's not like you're going to do something to gain the attention of-" 

Henrich's terminal flashed with a message indicating a voice call from Heltiger. 

"Heltiger, what is it ?"

" Sorry for the interruption, my Lord, but there is a ship in orbit squawking SOS," Heltiger's voice responded. 

This caught Henrich's attention. Not that a ship was squawking SOS, presumably on unencrypted public channels. What stirred Henrich's mind was that Heltiger declined to mention alignment. 

" My lord, I don't, there isn't a transponder. 

[ Mission started, Honored Guests 

Mission: Grant Liefling, the captain of the mysterious ship guest rights, and protect her from her pursuers 

Reward: #)(*%&^#(*%^#* ] 

"What the hell is that?" Henrich said out loud in response to the system, though only Anna could see his facial expressions, which betrayed his confusion. 

" I don't know, lord; what are your orders?" Heltiger asked over the commlink 

" Respond on public channels, offer full guest rights." 

" My lord, are you sure ?" Heltiger asked, his voice quick.

" Do not make me repeat myself." Henrich did not like using this tone, or rather, Nathan did not like this tone. So, the fact that the two minds that merged could not figure out whose preferences to use seemed to be something that would only be resolved in time. 

" Right away, My Lord." The call was ended abruptly 

" Lor-, Henrich, are you sure that's a good idea? It's probably a smuggler or pirate running from a neighboring system." Henrich's brow did not furrow with Anna's interjection rather he raised an eyebrow 

" And what lord do you know completely shuns contact with the criminal elements in their territory? Now, what were you saying? Something about not gaining someone's attention? " 

Anna almost held her head in her hands, but her training prevented her from doing so, " Nothing, nothing at all." 

With that, the two made small talk until another servant knocked on the door and, speaking through it, said, " My Lord, the guests have arrived." 

" Show them in right away. We have urgent matters to discuss." Heltiger said as he reached behind him for a whiskey bottle." 

" My lord, should I not make them wait? " The servant asked

Heltiger turned to Anna and asked, " Anna, why does everyone feel the need to make me repeat myself today?" With that, hurried footsteps were heard through the door. 

" Probably because you insist on breaching etiquette in almost every way imaginable." 

" Fair," Henrich's gaze fell upon the door as it opened 

The young man from the mech workshop stepped in. The grease stains on his coveralls were more muted than they should have been.

" Lord Henrich Von Seeth, thank you for your summons; you honor me." Said the young man, then bent on one of his knees, extending the other one behind him, placed his left hand over his heart, brought his right hand up to his face, then out to a 180-degree angle, and spoke. 

" Rise, what is your name, good sir," Henrich responded. 

The young man quickly stood and nervously said, " My name is Aiden Froth, my lord." 

" Well, Aiden, we'll get to know each other quite well moving forward, so forgive me for speaking casually. I have something I would like you to review." Henrich then handed Aiden a data card. To Nathan, it resembled a credit card, but Henrich knew it was equivalent to a USB device from back home. Anna's face showed as much surprise as Aiden's. 

Aiden carefully grabbed the card from Henrich's hand and slotted it into his datapad. What appeared was the very same TL-2 Mech blueprint the system provided Henrich with when he named his price to his father. Aiden carefully read the documents; his eyebrows started to raise, then lowered to almost a scowl as he read more, and finally, before he looked up, both eyebrows raised again. 

" My lord, this, this mech, can it do what this technical document says it can ?" 

" I don't know. This is a prototype I have been developing for a long time. I would like you to use the funerary mech chassis as a basis. I think the weapons are simple enough to allow it. But please, sit, eat, and discuss with me." Henrich responded. In the fifteen minutes Aiden had spent standing consumed in the mech blueprints, Henrich had been busy with the food on the table. Since the mech blueprint was not, in fact, his creation, there was little he could do while Aiden reviewed the schematics. 

Aiden did not sit right away. Instead, he glanced at Anna, who nodded and gestured for him to sit down. Even still, he looked at the food before him and did not dare touch it. 

Seeing Aiden not eat, Henrich paused, " Did you eat before you arrived or something ?" A piece of lamb still hanging halfway to his mouth from the fork. 

" My Lord, this is too much, I'll be happy with a rationpac-" 

" Absolutely not; you are to be my Master of Arms; please eat." 

Aiden's eyes did all the speaking for the next moment, seemingly ready to jump off his head. 

" I am to be Master of Arms? My lord, I am not worthy," Aiden said as he stood and began bowing the same way he had before. 

However, Henrich cut him off. " Well, it will be earned. If you can successfully convert the mech chassis and they perform well in the coming storm, why would I not reward you." 

Got him, Henrich thought to himself; he hadn't even told Anna about how he planned to sway the young tech smith. He knew he could not unilaterally promote him, and letting him kinda sorta in on the plan by talking about the coming storm with Darienwald. Anna's face was not quite as shocked as the young man's, but still, she couldn't or didn't hide her shock. 

" I..i.i.i..i..I will endeavor to earn your favor, my lord!" Aiden spoke. 

At this moment, a beep sounded in Henrich's mind, a message from Heltiger requesting his presence at the landing port. 

" Then you will start right now. Here are some more documents. They are simple weapons; as master of arms, you will also be responsible for them. I have a matter to attend to, but when I return, I want a complete report and your suggestions for changes to them and the mechs." Henrich then rose swiftly, gestured to Anna to follow him with a slight flick of his hand, and left the room.